A/N: If you are not familiar with Thomas Kinkade, he is the artist of the absolutely beautiful Disney Dreams collection. He captures the essence of each Disney fairytale and incorporates most if not all elements from their movies in them. Definitely look into his paintings on his website and browse, and I'm sure you'd agree!

This fic in particular is inspired by his second Beauty and the Beast painting, which depicts the Beast helping Belle off of a boat while the servants prepare a picnic blanket and basket under a tree. The season shown in the painting is obviously not winter, as is the season in the movie, but I thought the painting set up such an adorable story that I'm going to explore it despite any skewed facts, like the castle clearly doesn't have a lake, but gardens behind it. However, the castle does have a ravine!

I hope you enjoy it nonetheless! Let me know what you think!

Rebirth.

That was the one word that Belle thought of when she caught her first glimpse of spring at the château. It was the most amazing transformation. The bare branches of trees once covered with snow and ice were budding between the powder and crystals, eagerly wanting to shed their winter coats. The frozen lake the château sat upon slowly but surely began to break apart as fresh water gushed from the ravine that ran underneath the lonely, magnificent architecture. It seemed each time she passed a window, a spot of color would appear: the blue of the sky, the pink of the tree blossoms, the yellow of marigolds on the lake, and green everywhere, from the grass, to the moss, to the ivy that climbed and clung to the château's stone towers.

One morning, Belle woke to find the sun blazing through her window, and she couldn't help but smile. After a quick stretch, she threw back the covers and danced her way to the glass, pushing the curtains aside for a better view.

The trees' leaves were all practically grown in, and the flowers on the grass, in the gardens, and on the water dotted the world beneath in a rainbow of colors as they reached for the sun's rays. Light, white, wispy clouds were streaked across the cerulean ocean of the sky, like the ripples on a beach's sand.

It was absolutely glorious.

Belle heaved a contented sigh. "Spring is here," she announced.

With a snort, the wardrobe, Madame Armoire, shook herself awake. "I'm not a monkey handler, you got—" Her dream fading, she glanced around the room before spotting Belle. "Oh, good morning, dear!"

Belle closed her eyes for a moment to bask in the warmth before turning her head to the wardrobe to agree, "It is a good morning."

She then heard heavy clunks as the wardrobe took herself away from her place against the wall to get a peek of the outdoors.

"My, look at that! Spring already." Her sigh mimicked Belle's as she used one of her doors' elegant handles to pull the other curtain back. "A perfect day. I'm sure it's just lovely out there!" She harrumphed a little laugh. "If only I could fit through the door!" Glancing over at Belle, who continued to gaze longingly outside, she suggested, "Why don't you take a nice walk today? This weather just begs you to get some fresh air!"

Belle gave her a shrug of a smile. "I would love to, but I promised I would read with him in the library."

"Well, that is a day worthwhile, of course, but… you can read anywhere," Mme. Armoire had to point out.

She had to concede to that. "I think I know that better than anyone!"

However, since they had sorted out their differences after the wolf attack, Belle had become keener to the Beast's sensitivity to change. He was a creature of habit, after all. Belle's guess was that he had become so accustomed to seclusion that it was only instinctual to be hesitant toward anything outside of his comfort zone, which mostly included going outside. Sure, there was the snowball fight last month when they went to feed the birds returning from migration, but that had taken plenty of effort, even with Lumière, Cogsworth, and Mrs. Potts urging him to go.

Belle smiled at the memory. He was definitely getting better, but she felt that she shouldn't push him more than necessary. If she had learned anything, it was that he had his limits.

Thoughtfully, she replied, "I suppose we can see how he takes it."

"I think if anyone can get him outside, you can, dear. Now!" the wardrobe beamed, initiating her favorite part of the day: dressing up Belle. "What shall we wear today? With the prospects of a delightful spring stroll, we should wear something warm, don't you think? Like a nice saffron, or even vermilion! Ah, yes!" She pulled out a muted red dress with lace on the bodice and sleeves. "Quite eye-catching, isn't it?" she nudged with a smirk. "He'll simply have to follow you into the sunshine while you're wearing this!"

"It's lovely, really," Belle put down gently, though admittedly the dress was not in her taste, "but I was hoping I could dress, well, a little more casually today. I wouldn't want to possibly damage it if we do manage to go outside." She looked up hopefully at the wardrobe. "You wouldn't happen to have my blue frock ready, would you?"

"Hm," Mme. Armoire hummed in disapproval as she returned the vermilion gown to her rack. "I did just so happen to repair the tears in it from that one night… But I don't see why you insist on keeping it, much less wearing it. It doesn't exactly do you any favors, dear! You have a stunning figure, and that old thing just drowns it out!"

Having heard this opinion before, Belle gave an understanding smile but maintained, "Perhaps that's the case, but I would still like to wear it, if you please." When the wardrobe pouted, Belle firmly crossed her arms. "It is comfortable," she defended.

"All right, Miss Belle, you win this round," the wardrobe granted congenially, sifting through the back of her drawers for it. "But at dinner, I insist you wear something a little more presentable."

"Of course, madame, I promise," Belle assured, graciously receiving her familiar sky blue frock. Even the sight of it was comforting.

Putting it on, she felt she could breathe easier, and not merely because the other dresses Mme. Armoire had her wear included corsets. The worn feel of the cotton, the mobility in the sleeves, the breeziness of the calf-length skirt, it all felt… like home.

She wouldn't dare admit it, not to anyone. What could they do? She had made a promise. Maybe she had consented to the impulse to break it, but things were different now. She enjoyed his company, more than she ever thought she could, and he was trying his hardest to make her feel at home here, not to mention everything that the cast of enchanted objects had done for her.

But… it just wasn't the same.

She missed Papa. With all her might, she wished she could see him, just once, even for only a day, an hour. Despite everything she had here—friends, royal accommodations, a library that she could call hers—it wasn't complete without her father by her side. If only she could tell him all that had happened, the experience that she had been through, the surprises she had endured, the changes she was seeing in the Beast…

"Are you all right there, dear?"

Belle glanced up from her blueberry porridge to find a porcelain teapot looking at her with concern. "Oh, I'm sorry! Yes, I'm all right. Just… daydreaming. A bad habit," she added with a grin.

Mrs. Potts noticed her eyes drift to the window. "You've got something on your mind?"

She bit her lip. "Well…" Should she mention her wish to go outside for a while? From her seat, she could identify the perfect reading spot across the river under a willow tree. "Maybe there is something…"

The elderly teapot followed her gaze and her mouth turned into a knowing smile. "It's a perfect day to spend outside, isn't it?"

"I couldn't imagine a nicer one," Belle said sincerely, but she decided to keep her wishes to herself. She stood from her empty bowl. "Well, I'm off to the library! If he's not there already, would you mind letting him know for me?"

"Of course, dearie, I'll make sure he doesn't keep you waiting," Mrs. Potts informed. She watched Belle leave as she gave her thanks for breakfast, thinking again how lucky they were to have had such a kind and considerate girl happen upon the castle.

As the other dishes were cleaning themselves up, Mrs. Potts and Cogsworth were perched on the island, conversing in hushed tones, as the maître d' himself made his boisterous entrance.

"Bon matin, mes amis!" Lumière exclaimed, hopping his way onto the counter to look out the window by the sink. "Would you look at this weather! I cannot even recall a day that snow has not been in sight!"

"That's precisely what Cogsworth and I were talking about," Mrs. Potts revealed, having to smile at the candelabrum's exuberance.

"Both of you should take a step onto the grounds, truly! Babette and I only just returned from the fresh air."

Crossing his decorative brass arms, the mantel clock chastened Lumière with a glare. "So that's where you've been all morning?"

Lumière replied with a cavalier shrug before snatching up a nearby inanimate spatula to hurdle himself across the gap to the island. Brushing off the feat nonchalantly, he advised the majordomo, "Perhaps you should follow our lead. It did not require any special effort on our part, but you in particular might have to… 'spring forward'!"

Cogsworth couldn't be less amused. "You were just waiting to use that pun, weren't you? Are you going to suggest I 'unwind' next?"

The maître d' flashed him his signature debonair grin. "As a matter of fact…" At Cogsworth's peeved expression, he laughed with good nature. "I am only joking, mon ami! How have you not caught on to the spring fever?" The clock rolled his eyes and refused to respond, but it was hardly noticed as Lumière turned to Mrs. Potts to say, "Which reminds me: I happened to pass by the library on my way here, and it seems our dear mademoiselle aches to enjoy the sun as much as she should."

"Did you address her about it?" Cogsworth asked skeptically.

"There was no need! Gazing out the window in the same way the Master looks at her when she is blissfully unaware?" he compared with a smirk. "It could not have been plainer."

"It seems you're caught up on the goings-on then," the housekeeper observed with delightful conspiracy. "I was just telling Cogsworth that this is the perfect opportunity for the Master to take her out for a little excursion."

Lumière's eyes and wicks lit up at the idea. "Ah, yes, of course! He could take her out on the water, or even—"

"A picnic," Mrs. Potts finished with bubbling excitement.

"Precisely! If only I could do the same with ma plumette. The weather could not be more in their favor!"

"Yes, yes, that is all well and good," Cogsworth burst, seeming to have been mulling over this during the entire proceedings, "but did you forget one very significant detail?"

Mrs. Potts grimaced knowingly but appeared undeterred. Lumière, on the other hand, was optimistically oblivious. He waved a sconce dismissively. "What could possibly prevent them from having a romantic picnic along the lake?"

The majordomo stared as though it was obvious. "The Master hates the lake!"

Lumière's jaw dropped as he remembered, promptly face-sconcing himself for his failing memory. "Of course! The one moment I wasn't looking…"

"And he jumped into the lake, convinced he could swim without help," Cogsworth concluded accusatorily. "He almost drowned because of your carelessness!"

"Babette came out to bring me a refreshment! It was a hot day!" Lumière had to defend, but he still felt guilty for letting himself become so distracted with his paramour. The prince had only been seven years old, hardly a year after his parents had passed away, when he had decided he wanted to be out by the water, but Lumière had been assigned to watch on the dock to make sure he hadn't tried to actually attempt to swim when he never had been taught. Luckily, Lumière could stay afloat enough to fish the sobbing prince out.

"Now, all's been forgiven about that," Mrs. Potts interceded, looking pointedly at Cogsworth, who had been prepping a rebuttal. "That was a long time ago. He couldn't be afraid now. Remember that accident out in the woods when Belle almost drowned? He dove in to get her, didn't have to think twice!"

"What I mean to say is, as a choice, he refuses to go out on the lake, and I can't say that I blame him," Cogsworth remarked. "That was an unfortunate circumstance that I'm certain he doesn't wish to risk revisiting."

"But this is spring!" Lumière insisted. "There is no weak ice to fall through, and the water is surely cold but not enough to get frostbite. Besides, I am convinced that if Belle declares her desire for an afternoon by the lake, the Master will oblige, even if hesitantly. I have seen him waiting for the chance to make her happy! He couldn't deny her such a simple request!"

"Aren't we placing a little too much faith in his feelings for her?" Cogsworth tested, playing the voice of sound logic. "Not that I don't hope he won't make the exception in her case, but it seems a bit too soon for him to challenge his fears on her behest. And let's not forget that Belle knows nothing of the incident."

"That is why we have to convince him to do this for her," Mrs. Potts debated. "Belle, the sweet girl, will never say a word of it because she can see he doesn't like to venture outdoors for the pleasure of it, but if he offers to take a day outside together, she will appreciate it even more."

Back to his previous, buoyant mood, Lumière agreed, "It's perfect! Nothing could spur l'amour more swiftly than a quiet afternoon under a green and blue canopy. Hopefully, at this rate, spring fever will not be the only thing they catch."

Cogsworth furrowed his brow. "I thought you were a firm advocate of the 'let love take its course' business."

"True," the maître d' allowed, crossing his arms. "But I see nothing unreasonable in giving a little nudge in the right direction."

"That was precisely my point!"

"When?"

"During spring cleaning!" the majordomo reminded, his gears getting in a twist. "To make the atmosphere as romantic as possible? There was a big to-do about it that's rather hard to forget!"

Remaining aggravatingly calm, Lumière reasoned with a shrug, "I never said you were wrong."

"You never said I was right either!"

"Let's get off to the Master's then, shall we?" Mrs. Potts mediated, whistling for her tea cart. "We've kept Belle waiting long enough."

The Beast gazed at the wilting enchanted rose floating in its bell jar, something that had become a meditating habit over the course of his imprisonment. It had been excruciating to accept his reality when he had first turned into a beast. In fact, the struggle persisted for years; It had become more of a reflex than anything when he caught sight of his reflection to immediately turn away, as though he needed any more reminders of what he was. Lately, his reality was a challenge to comprehend once more, but this time, it was for the hope of something better.

Since he had saved her from those wolves, things between him and Belle had been changing. She wasn't afraid of him. She had even fought against him. She hadn't tried to run out of fear, but because he had been a less than amicable host. That had been something he hadn't been able to wrap his mind around until recently. She hadn't despised how he looked, but of how he had acted and treated those around him.

Belle had presented him with something he could only begin to repay; that someone could care about him without any obligations. She could be fighting him still, or purposely trying to keep her distance, but she wasn't. She was seeking out his company, sharing with him her passions and dreams, patiently helping him wade through the parts of him that he hated, and building up what he knew he lacked.

The dark side of his mind that fed him feelings of worthlessness would make him think that she was doing this out of pity, that she was only here because she had made him a promise, but now he had reasons for an argument.

She could leave. She had even tried. But because he had saved her, she felt a sense of honor to stay. And Belle had never seemed to pity him. She had never felt sorry for him. She had empathized with him, had even shown that she wanted to understand. She seemed too proud to do anything that she didn't feel was right, and being around him appeared to make her… happy.

Again, this was an enigma he could hardly register. He would ask himself so many times what it was about him that she saw and could like. He didn't think he was anything particularly special. Due to his spoiled and rotten behavior as a child, he was uneducated, uncivilized, and painfully awkward. She deserved a handsome, strong, wealthy man who could fulfill her dreams. What could he provide?

Wait… he was a prince. At least, he had been. He could be. He had a chance to be one again. If she could love him.

The Beast shook his head with a grunt. Don't think about that, he admonished. He promised himself he wouldn't look that far into the future. He wanted to enjoy the present, the time he had left, getting to know Belle.

Belle. He suddenly glanced up to his balcony's curtains, ones that were newly replaced by the servants just last month. Shoving them aside, the sunshine blasted him with its rays and made his eyes hurt. It was already well into daylight. They were supposed to read in the library today, this very morning.

She was probably waiting for him.

Bounding over his bed with all fours, he rushed to the door in a panic, but right upon opening it, he saw a tea cart carrying a teapot, mantel clock, and candelabrum was skidding to a halt right before him.

"I'm late," the Beast said, believing that was a clear enough excuse as he tried to step around the tea trolley.

"Oh yes, dear, we're well-aware," Mrs. Potts hurriedly replied. "But there is something very important we must discuss with you first. It's about Belle."

"Is she in the library?" he asked anxiously. His muscles were tensed to sprint to wherever she was. How could he have let time escape him? Had it been a half hour, hour, three hours?

"Now, now, Master, Belle is not going anywhere," Lumière eased with a smile. "Last I saw, she was nose-deep in a book. I am sure she is perfectly content to wait another moment for you."

Resigned to be satisfied with this reassurance, the Beast pouted expectantly. "Well, what is it? You said it's about Belle?"

Mrs. Potts and Lumière exchanged excited glances and nodded, but Cogsworth continued to look apprehensive.

"Absolutely!" the maître d' exclaimed. "In fact, we know a secret of hers that we do not think she would be willing to share unless you say something first."

The Beast's ears perked up. "A secret? What secret?"

Lumière smirked with subtle triumph. The casanova had far too much practice weaving words to entice, charm, and intrigue, and the Master was no exception.

At this display from him, Cogsworth just rolled his eyes.

Mrs. Potts perked up, "Well, Master, I'm sure you might have noticed how lovely a day it is out there. Perfect spring weather."

"It's… nice," the Beast grumbled uncomfortably. "What does that have to do with Belle?"

"But that is it, Master!" Lumière settled. "Belle wishes to take advantage of the first beautiful day of the year."

The Beast grimaced in what looked like pain. "… She does?"

"Of course! That is not uncommon after as harsh a winter as the one we've had," Lumière patiently clarified.

Seeming as much the awkward teenager as he really was on the inside, the Beast rubbed the back of his mane. "Well… What would you have me do?"

Mrs. Potts and Lumière grinned at each other before the teapot replied, "We think this is a marvelous opportunity to perform another grand romantic gesture. Perhaps a picnic by the lake? Belle, I'm sure, would appreciate it beyond words!"

Lip curling rather distastefully, the Beast checked, "The lake?"

At this severe sign of hesitation, Cogsworth finally stepped in, "We understand that the thought of being on the water may be disconcerting—"

"But think of what Belle wants," Lumière cut off, predicting Cogsworth was about to present the Master with the choice not to go. "Besides, it will do wonders for you! It is not healthy to stay cooped up inside for so long."

"I haven't been outside the castle since the beginning," the Beast stated matter-of-factly, but realized as he spoke, "except… because of Belle."

"And look how much it's helped, especially with Belle!" Lumière emphasized.

"But—" The Beast stumbled to figure out a feasible argument. Even if it was what Belle wanted, he had never really liked the outdoors, and if he had hated the lake before, it wasn't compared to now after how it had almost taken Belle's life.

"It can't hurt, can it, dear?" Mrs. Potts persuaded.

"Sire, despite what you may be thinking, this kind of 'grand romantic gesture' is rather vital in our current circumstances," Cogsworth annexed, glancing over at the enchanted rose, which was drooping its thinning head. Another petal fell as they watched, and the servants collectively cringed.

The majordomo's voice jumped up an octave. "S—So perhaps it would be best to get past whatever feelings that inhibit you from taking this step forward with Belle," he rapidly advised. "Now… Please."

Mrs. Potts and Lumière nodded in thorough agreement, still shaken from the rose's smack of reality.

The Beast sighed begrudgingly. "Fine. I'll… talk to Belle about… a picnic."

The objects' mouths all spread into huge grins. "Wonderful!" "Marvelous, sire!" "She'll be absolutely delighted!"

With his shoulders slightly hunched, the Beast couldn't help but grumble as he marched off to meet Belle in the library. There was a part of him that still wanted to be selfish, but knowing now that Belle very much wanted to spend the day outside, he could not ignore that fact. He had the power to make her happy today, and as long as the day was spent with her, he would enjoy himself, too… right?

Here's hoping, the prince thought.